WE'VE MOVED!

You can find my new and improved blog: Andando around South America

(Don't worry, all the previous posts have been imported to the new site)

ART

Fly fishing was the excuse for Mel Krieger and Diego Ortiz Mugica to portrait some beautiful shots of Patagonia.





















The whole collection can be found at the Museo de Arte Decorativo starting this next Friday.

NEIGHBOURHOODS

Buenos Aires it's a huge city with multi colored neighbourhoods. Some areas are better to party, some others would have more of a portenio feeling, but there's certainly something for everyone!
This is a summary of my PERSONAL opinion and internet research of some of the major districts. Enjoy and choose wisely!

SAN TELMO
One of the oldest barrios (neighborhoods) of Buenos Aires, with a number of colonial houses and streets still paved with the original cobblestones (adoquines).San Telmo'smany attractions include many old churches (e.g. San Pedro Telmo), museums, antique stores and a semi-permanent antique fair (Feria de Antiguedades) in the mainpublic square, Plaza Dorrego. Tango-related activities for both locals and tourists also abound in the area.

Near by
Downtown, La Boca, Obelisco.

who lives there?
Middle class artists, tourists, young crowd.

pros
Bohemian atmosphere, tango joints, laid back + friendly nitelife+ live music

cons
Could be a bit unsafe to walk around at night. Too touristy at times.

prices
Mid range

photos
more photos
and more photos


RECOLETA
Known for its cafés, galleries and the famous Recoleta cemetery.
Recoleta is an affluent residential district.
Recoleta centers on a square in front of the Cemetery and the neighbouring Basilica of Nuestra Señora del Pilar.
The Recoleta Cemetery's status as a tourist attraction is rivaled by few; some compare it to Père Lachaise in Paris. It opened in 1822 as a public cemetery for ordinary citizens. Now it hosts many former Presidents and, most famously, Eva Perón, in mausolea of marble, bronze and granite.
The barrio has been referred to as the 'Paris of the Americas'. Many French-style palaces and villas were built in the area, especially on Avenida Alvear, and the verdant squares are known for their cafés. Recoleta hosts one of the best and most expensive hotels in Latin America, the five-star Hotel Alvear, a grand 1932 palace. Nearby are other mansions built by the most important families of Buenos Aires, some used as embassies. Café La Biela is one of the city's most famous cafés and is patronized by authors, politicians, and other celebrities.
Nightlife here is very active too, with the pedestrian passage RM Ortíz known for its restaurants.
Next to the Basilica, on the site of the Franciscan convent, is the Recoleta Cultural Centre, a major gallery for contemporary visual art, set in a dark pink chapel. Nearby is the Buenos Aires Design mall, with many shops highlighting the latest designs in homeware and interior design. There are many bars in this area. The belle époque Palais de Glace, originally an ice rink and ballroom, now serves as an exhibition centre.

Near by
National Library, the National Museum of Fine Arts and the University of Buenos Aires Law School, Recoleta cementery, Modern art museum, Recoleta park, Village cinemas.

Who lives here?
Upper middle class families. Tourist. Some Doctors have their practices here as well.

Pros
Very clean and safe. Loads of fancy restaurants.

Cons
Touristy and expensive!
Not reached by subway.

prices
Recoleta is one of the most expensive places to live in Buenos Aires, both in terms of real estate and of the cost of living.

photos
more photos
and more photos


BARRIO NORTE
Barrio Norte it's a very popular area between Recoleta and Palermo.
In the 1950s, Santa Fe avenue became the preferred venue for upscale shopping in Buenos Aires, and the profile of the area surrounding it grew in popularity among the emerging Argentine middle class.
Since the advent of democracy in 1983, Santa Fe (near Pueyrredon Ave) has been the preferred street for gay pick-up, even though no part of it has morphed into a distinctly gay village.
The area also hosts some of the National University's schools (Business, Medicine, Social Science buildings among others).

Near by
Recoleta's bars/clubs, Las Heras Park

who lives here?
Middle class families, university students (specially from outside Buenos Aires) and a few short term rental tourists.

pros
Served by Line D of the subte (subway) and a large number of bus lines.
Affordable shopping
Good meal deals (specially around the University buildings)
Not very touristy
It hosts some language school where you could work at ;)

Cons
Can get a bit noisy and crowded at times, specially with private high school students that study in the area.

prices
Mid range


BELGRANO
Belgrano was named after Manuel Belgrano, a politician and military leader who created the national flag of Argentina.
Belgrano is an upper-middle class neighborhood that can be roughly divided into Belgrano R, Belgrano C, central Belgrano, and Lower Belgrano (Bajo Belgrano). The heart of the barrio pulses with life on its main thoroughfare, Avenida Cabildo, which runs Northwest to Southeast; the subway (subte) Line D follows its route.
Avenida Cabildo carries heavy automobile traffic, and features corner cafés, grocery stores, movie theaters, specialty shops, clothing boutiques, bookstores, and other retail venues. Pedestrians are especially numerous on weekend afternoons as Porteños (residents of Buenos Aires) from various areas of the city come to shop.
Most of the neighborhood's densest housing is located in the vicinity of Cabildo. High-rise luxury apartment buildings are clustered on the leafy streets surrounding the Universidad de Belgrano, a private liberal-arts university.
Many older single-family homes have been replaced by high-rise residential structures in the denser sections of Belgrano
West of Crámer avenue, "Belgrano R" is chiefly residential and lower-density in nature, characterized by calm streets lined with large, mature shade trees. Most buildings in this section are detached single-family homes that follow Anglo-Saxon architectural styles; some residences have sizable backyards with swimming pools. This section is favored by wealthy Argentines and expatriate businesspeople.
"Belgrano C" is also home to Buenos Aires's small Chinatown. The district is crowded with restaurants and specialty grocery stores catering to Asian-Argentines and to the general public.
Belgrano's sidewalks are often busy with dogwalkers. Even though city ordinances forbid more than ten dogs to a person, it is not uncommon to see double that number—which contributes to the dog-waste problem plaguing many sidewalks.

Near by
The lush park Barrancas de Belgrano
On Manuel Belgrano square , a local artisan fair is held regularly, and becomes especially vibrant on weekends.
In the edge of the plazalies the Inmaculada Concepción, called "La Redonda" (the round one) by locals because of its circular plan. Many weddings are celebrated in this church in the afternoon hours. Two museums are also across Juramento and Cuba streets: Larreta and Sarmiento, respectively. Larreta museum focus on Spanish art. Historical Museum Sarmiento exhibits some objects belonging to former presidents Domingo Faustino Sarmiento and Nicolás Avellaneda. It is located in what used to be Belgrano townhall, where the national congress hold its sessions while Belgrano was the capital of the republic.
China town
Palermo's bars/clubs/restaurants

Who lives here?
Upper middle class families and private university students.

Pros
Belgrano is served by the Buenos Aires metro line D, many bus lines (notably Colectivo 60), and two commuter rail lines. Approximately 1.5 km to the west of Belgrano lies Avenida General Paz, a major limited-access freeway that defines the city limits of Buenos Aires proper. Beyond this avenue lie the suburbs of Vicente Lopez, Florida and Olivos.
Lots of shopping options
Good delivery options
Good transport (bus, subway, train)
Family atmosphere
Good gate away to outside Buenos Aires
There's a good number of English language schools to work for in the area.

Cons
Far (30 min subway ride) from centro
Can get a bit too crowded at times.

Prices
Can be expensive at times, specially rentals.

photos
more photos


BALVANERA: ONCE, MONTSERRAT, CONGRESO, ABASTO.
Until the 1860s, Balvanera was considered an outskirt of Buenos Aires proper. In 1836, a census set its population at 3,635. Most inhabitants lived in quintas (small estates), and the zone was known as las quintas. The Camino Real (now Rivadavia) was the main road from the city to the west.
In the late 19th century, Balvanera had a strong political tradition, identifying first with Adolfo Alsina and then with UCR leaders Leandro Alem and Hipólito Irigoyen.
By 1900, Balvanera was associated mostly with violently contested elections—and with the brothels in the Junín y Lavalle area where, according to Borges, the tango dance acquired its notorious erotic overtones. Natural growth and railroad development eventually assimilated the neighborhood into the city.
During the 1910s and 1920s, the area around Corrientes avenue became the center of Buenos Aires's Jewish community and the hub of the garment trade, which in turn attracted segments of the Arab and Armenian communities.
A number of Jewish institutions were erected in Once, including the AMIA community center that was bombed on July 18, 1994, in the bloodiest terror attack ever on Agentine soil.
The southern part of Balvanera is home to some traditional institutions of the Galician community, and features a lively furniture trade along Belgrano avenue.
In the late 1970s, Balvanera became a favored location for electronics import shops which co-exist with the more traditional fabrics and garment shops. Newly arrived Korean and Chinese immigrants have become a strong presence in several fields of commerce (see Asian-Argentines).
The zone around Corrientes avenue is known as Once after Plaza Once de Setiembre, the alternative name of Plaza Miserere (the square in which president Bernardino Rivadavia's mausoleum is located).
The south-eastern part of Balvanera is often called Congreso, as it contains the Congress building and the neighboring Plaza de los Dos Congresos (Square of the Two Congresses, usually called simply Plaza Congreso).
The north-western part of Balvanera is referred to as Abasto after the landmark Abasto market (now a shopping mall).
The area between Congreso and San Telmo it's known as Montserrat.
Balvanera is located to the west of downtown Buenos Aires. The elegant northern neighborhood of Recoleta (part of the area known as Barrio Norte) is located north of Balvanera, crossing Córdoba avenue.
Most dwellers of Balvanera live in apartment buildings erected on small lots. Population density is very high, and the amount of green space is deemed insufficient. The meager green space of Plaza Miserere is usually taken up by illegal peddlers, people queuing for their bus, and preachers of all stripes.
As in most of Buenos Aires, the streets are laid out in a checkboard pattern. All streets and avenues are one-way.
The main streets of Balvanera are arguably Rivadavia, which crosses the entire city from East to West (North-South streets change their name when crossing Rivadavia), and Corrientes, which is the main thoroughfare of commerce and entertainment in Buenos Aires.
The Ramos Mejía general hospital and the Santa Lucía ophthalmology hospital are located in southern Balvanera. Many private health-care institutions are located in Balvanera also.
Among the architectural features in Balvanera are the neo-classical Congress building and the statue group in neighboring Plaza Congreso. The El Molino tea room is located across the street in a building that has seen several rounds of restoration since its heyday.
The café Los Angelitos in the corner of Rivadavia and Rincón was a meeting point for poets and musicians. It features a relief of angels in its façade, which is one of the landmarks of the barrio. After extensive restorations, it was reopened in 2007, with plans to offer live tango and become a tourist landmark much like the Tortoni and Ideal cafés.
There are many theater and concert halls in Balvanera. The Liceo theater and the Ricardo Rojas cultural center are two of the best-known venues.
For most of the 20th century, Once had a lively Yiddish theater scene; the IFT theater still stands on Boulogne Sur-Mer street, where mural paintings celebrate its rich history.
Much of the Argentine cumbia scene of the 1990s revolved around dance halls near the Once train station.
North of Once station, many former warehouses have been recycled into lofts, offices, or entertainment venues. One of these, the República Cromagnon concert hall (formerly a mini-stadium and dance hall), went on fire on 30 December 2004. In the tragedy, 194 people were killed and over 600 injured.
Currently, more than 25,000 shops are registered in Balvanera, where zoning regulations favor commerce. Many apartment buildings host one or more shops at ground level. The plot of the 2004 movie El abrazo partido revolves around one of Balvanera's many shopping galerías (galleries).
The block of Pueyrredón avenue across Plaza Once features a busy bazaar-like commercial area known as La Recova.
The Abasto shopping mall is an impressive building that was the city's wholesale produce market until the late 1980s; its history is closely associated with the life and career of tango singer Carlos Gardel. The area around the market used to contain produce warehouses and low-rent housing for the laborers; with its conversion to a high-end mall, the area experienced a gentrification process since the mid-1990s, that was slowed down by the 2001 economic crisis.

Near by
San Telmo
Centro

Who lives here?
Middle class families, jewish and armenian community.

Pros
Balvanera has access to four out of the five subte lines. This is the preferred transportation option for hurried people who don't mind some discomfort during peak hours.
Many bus lines go through Balvanera, including the Colectivo 60 line, venerated by locals as el internacional, because its route passes many city landmarks. Other important lines include Colectivo 19, which has been the subject of a composition by Lito Vitale, and Colectivo 86, which links La Boca to Ezeiza airport.
Around Plaza Once, numerous long-distance bus depots provide service to major locations in Argentina and neighboring countries. Ever since the 1980s, most long-distance and international bus lines have their termini in the Retiro depot, accessible via subte.
The Once de Septiembre train station provides commuter service to the western neighborhoods and suburbs.
Not touristy at all.
Montserrat it's a budget option to live near San Telmo

Cons
Can be a bit unsafe at night.
Get's very crowded during the day.

photos
more photos
and more photos
and even more pictures


CENTRO
The downtown area is of course where most of the main banks and government institutions are located, as well as many offices. It's seldom referred to as San Nicolás, but usually as El Centro ("Centre" or "Downtown"), and the part east of the 9 de Julio Avenue is called Microcentro ("Micro-centre")
It holds 33,305 inhabitants.

Near by
Plaza de Mayo, San Telmo, Retiro train station

Who lives here?
Not many people actually, most of the buildings are occupied by offices, although you can still find single inhabitants (most of the properties are studios or one bedrooms)

Pros
Good transport conncections, including all the subway lines.

Cons
Super crowded during the week and empty during weekends (shops closed!)

photos
more photos
and more photos


PALERMO
Finally, the "hip" place to be!
It is located in the northeast of the city, bordering the barrios of Belgrano to the north, Almagro and Recoleta to the south, Villa Crespo and Colegiales to the west and the Río de la Plata river to the east. With a total area of 17.4 km², Palermo is the largest neighborhood in Buenos Aires. As of 1991 it had a population of 256,927 inhabitants (1991 census [INDEC]).
The name of the district is derived from the still-existing Franciscan abbey of Saint Benedict of Palermo, an alternative name for Saint Benedict the Moor. Saint Benedict the Moor lived from 1526 to 1589 and is a complementary patron saint of Palermo in Sicily.
In an alternative history of the name, a folk story supported by journalists, the land would have been originally purchased by an Italian immigrant named Juan Domingo Palermo in the late 16th century, shortly after the foundation of Buenos Aires in 1580.
The area grew rapidly during the last third of the 19th century and particularly during the presidency of Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, responsible for the creation of the Buenos Aires Zoological Gardens and the Parque Tres de Febrero in 1874, and Plaza Italia and the Palermo Race Track in 1876, all on the grounds of what had been Rosas' pleasure villa.
During the 20th century, the Buenos Aires Botanical Gardens (1902), Aeroparque Jorge Newbery, the water purification building, several sport clubs, the Jardín Japonés ("Japanese Garden") and the Galileo Galilei Planetarium were erected.
Although appearing as one big swath on the official map, Palermo can be subdivided into several contrasting and acutely individual parts, the most clearly delimited of which may be considered further de facto neighborhoods of Buenos Aires.
Alto Palermo and Villa Freud
Alto Palermo is downtown Palermo, the main shopping area and transport hub around Avenida Santa Fe. At its core is the Alto Palermo Shopping Centre, a large shopping mall. Villa Freud, based around Plaza Güemes, is a residential area known for its high concentration of psychoanalysts and psychiatrists, hence its name.

Palermo Viejo
Palermo Viejo (Old Palermo) is, as its name implies, the oldest part. Bounded by Avenida Santa Fe, Avenida Coronel Díaz, Avenida Córdoba and Carranza street, the neighborhood is centred on Plaza Palermo Viejo and reflects an older Spanish style in architecture, often "recycled" with modern elements. Such well-known figures as Jorge Luis Borges and Che Guevara once lived in this ward and indeed Borges first wrote poetry in the then quiet barrio. The Borges's poem "Fundacion mitica de Buenos Aires" names a typical square (Guatemala, Serrano, Paraguay, Gurruchaga). It was historically a residential area, popular with communities from Poland, Armenia, Ukraine and Lebanon and old Spanish and Italian families, whose traditions are reflected in local restaurants, churches, schools and cultural centres.

Palermo Soho
Palermo Soho is a small area of Palermo Viejo around Plaza Serrano (officially Plazoleta Cortázar), and it is a newly fashionable area for fashion, design, restaurants, bars and street culture. The atmosphere in many cafés and restaurants strives to be alternative, which makes this area of the city especially popular with young, upper-middle class Argentines as well as foreign tourists. The traditional low houses have been adapted into boutiques and bars, creating a bohemian feel. The square has a crafts fair.

Palermo Chico and Barrio Parque
Across Figueroa Alcorta Avenue, between San Martín de Tours and Tagle streets, Palermo Chico ("Small" or "Exclusive" Palermo) is the most upmarket part of Palermo. The Buenos Aires Museum of Decorative Arts is located in Palermo Chico, in a dazzling old palatial home. Neighbouring Barrio Parque is strictly a residential area, laid out in winding streets by Carlos Thays; many of the wealthy and famous own homes there. Once a quarter full of splendid mansions set in broad private parks, many luxury condominiums and apartment houses are now to be seen. MALBA, the Museum of Latin American Art in Buenos Aires, is located between Barrio Parque and the Paseo Alcorta shopping centre.

Las Cañitas
Las Cañitas was historically a slum area but is now an upmarket area of restaurants and bars next to the Campo Argentino de Polo in the extreme north of Palermo. The King Fahd Islamic Cultural Centre was built in the 1990s by the Polo fields.

Near by
The Parque Tres de Febrero, popularly known as Bosques de Palermo ('Palermo Forests'), inspired by the Bois de Boulogne in Paris and the Prater (or Vienna Meadow) in Vienna, is the largest green lung in the city of Buenos Aires. With its Rosedal ('Rose Garden'), Andalusian Courtyard, huge artificial lake and beautifully landscaped promenades, this is one of the loveliest spots in the Capital.
The hippest bars/clubs and restaurants in Palermo Soho


Who lives here?
Upper middle class artists, actors, models.
Middle class families
Lots of tourists!
Some University students (specially in the fashion or design fields)

Pros
Lots of trees and green.
Good restaurants and bars.
Lots of WI FI spots
Quiet clean streets for beautiful afternoon stralls

Cons
Can be touristy
Expensive
The subway line only serves the borders of the district, so you usually end up having to convine the subway ride with a taxi or bus ride.
TOO hip? ;)

photos
more photos
and more photos

TRANSPORTATION (LAND)

Buenos Aires it's a big cosmopolitan city and as such, it's got several options to travel around.

Even though Taxis are a cheap option, I personally recommend you take advantage of the public transportation and indulge yourself in the experience of traveling like a local!

It's fun, you will meet more people than just sitting at the back of a taxi (and getting ripped off!) and even if you get lost you'll take advantage of ending up in places you never even imagined!

But since you are probably a bit nervous of taking that step out of the hotel and jumping on the next Colectivo, let me give you some useful tools to make your journeys safer and more enjoyable!

COMO VIAJO allows you to enter a departure and destination location to calculate your best options, considering walking, buses and subways. Great site although not active all the time.

The city of Buenos Aires offers a good interactive map

But let's go trough each of our options:


BUSES

The bus (colectivo) is a fast and inexpensive means of transport to travel around Capital and it's surrundings. There are more than 180 lines going through the city and providing connection with all districts in the Greater Buenos Aires.
The service is available at regular intervals. Sometimes, streets may be blocked in the downtown area due to traffic jams.
Within the city, there are two fares: 0.75 cents and 0.80 cents. The ticket is sold on the bus and only coins are accepted.
Bus service is available all day long but its frequency decreases after 12 am.
You can buy a "Guia T" bus guide (Similar to the english A-Z) and work out your itineraries or check out the most popular bus routes at http://www.loscolectivos.com.ar/frameset1.htm. It also describes a short story of each bus line and contact info (sorry! spanish only)


SUBWAYS

This is the fastest and easiest way to reach your destination. The five subway lines (commonly known as “subtes”) are connected with the main avenues and railway and bus stations, and converge upon downtown, the main tourist and hotel area.
Maps showing the subway lines in different colors may be obtained at the ticket offices located in every station. Insist, they don't always want to give them out. Information boards showing each line routes and transfer stations between lines are available in all stations. These connections that allow passengers to use more than one line are called “combinación” and a ticket allows you to make as many "combinaciones" as you want.
The fare is flat: $ 0.70 (U$S 0,20) and payable at the ticket offices located in the different stations.
No, there are not "discount cards", although you can get a "subtecard" and charge credit so that you don't need to buy a new ticket all the time. But this is only recommendable if you are planning to spend a looot of time using the subtes!
The service runs Mondays through Saturdays, from aprox 5 am to 10 pm, and Sundays and holidays from 8 am to 10 pm.
The subte's website has all maps, schedules, routes and even updates about the frequency of trains for each line.
The subway company also runs the "premetro" service, a tram that connects "Plaza de los Virreyes" Station on line E and takes you all the way to "General Savio" station, for whatever reason it is that you want to go there anyways, and the "Urquiza" line of trains, that goes to from Lacroze Subte station on Line B to towns outside the city such as Devoto or San Miguel.


TRAINS

If you want to visit areas outside the Capital such as the Delta or neighborhoods distant from downtown, the railways provide an affordable service. Several lines allow access to the center of the city.
Trains are not THE SAFEST option, although some lines are better tan others. Try to avoid rush hour or late hours, just in case!
All the lines are run by different private companies and leave from several Stations around the city (Once, Constitucion, Retiro among others)
The METROPOLITANO LINE has a website with an english version! These trains leave from CONSTITUCION Station (again, not very safe area, avoid at night time!) and you can check out routes online to visit places like Canuelas, La Plata or Bosques
FERROVIAS LINE leaves from RETIRO Station. Check out their website for schedules and routes such as Don Torcuato, Del Viso, Tortuguitas, Carapachay or Munro.
FERROBAIRES LINE leaves from RETIRO, CONSTITUCION and ONCE stations(check for the line you need) and travels to places in the coast line (Mar del PLata, Miramar, Pinamar) as well as Tandil or Bahia Blanca among others.
TBA (Trenes de Buenos Aires) also offers several lines that you can check out in their web site among its popular destinations are Tigre, Capilla del senor and Rosario)

LONG DISTANCE BUSES

The "micros" will also take you outside the city of Buenos Aires and to all Argentina actually!
The main terminal it's in RETIRO and its wonderful website has contact information for all the bus companies, arranged by what destination they serve. Very user friendly!

FREE TOURS

Wanna feel like a local? Walk around the real Buenos Aires?

Join the FREE "City's neighbourhood's walks" and learn the history and secrets of the city of Buenos Aires told by it's own residents!


ON GOING:

AGRONOMIA district:
Every last saturday of the month
Tinogasta y Av. San Martín. 10:00 hs.

PARQUE CHAS district:
Every last saturday of the month
Av. de los Incas y Av. Triunvirato. 11:00 hs.

CABALLITO district:
Every last sunday of the month
Rivadavia park by Bolivar monument. 16:30 hs.

SAN NICOLÁS district:
Every last wednesday of the month
J .D.Perón 1362. 17:00 hs.
Confirm at 4383-8890

SORRY! The tours are available in Spanish only!

What???? You don't speak spanish yet?

Then make sure you check out Espanol Andando and enjoy BA just like a local!

FUTBOL

Besides trying a good steak and a few tango steps, a futbol match is another must-do while you are in BA.

So take into consideration the following dates when planning your next visit to Buenos Aires:

http://www.goalzz.com/main.aspx?c=2730&stage=1&sch=true

PS: I recommend you dont miss a Boca's game. Definitly one of the est teams in South America! ;)

TRANSPORTATION (AIR)

Distances in South America can be surprisingly larger that you might have thought.

Flying is not exactly cheap, but it's still affordable.

Flights last, in general, anything from 40 minutes to 4 hours. Loads of times, you'll need to stop in Buenos Aires or Cordoba to fly from one city to the other.

Expect to pay between US$100 to US$600!

But check it yourself, these are your options for companies that fly within Argentina:

Aerolineas Argentinas

Lan

Andes

Lade

Sol

Or check out the website for the main airports around the country for schedules and more contact info

Fasten your seat belt and enjoy your flight!

FOOD

Interesting article about MEAT on The Telegraph

Enjoy (Both the meat and the article)!

YOGA

Fundacion Hastinapura offers yoga + meditation sessions for only $5 pesos the session in San Telmo.

They offer several other free/very cheap workshops + courses worth checking out too!

The address is Venezuela 818 (two blocks off 9 d Julio, a few blocks from Moreno Subte station on C line).

Check out schedules and options in other neighborhoods

VOLUNTEERING

Where can I eat the best steak? Where’s the hottest club? And usual illicits are among the questions I hear from travelers in BA every day.

But also, whether it’s because you’d like to stick around for a while or just feel like giving something back to the world, volunteering it’s another recurrent concern!

Many companies have a list of organizations and after a small (or sometimes not that small!) fee they can hook you up with them. The money some times even goes to the charity you are helping directly!

But in a country with such need of social help is it really worth paying someone to find the resources? If you are indeed willing to put some money down, wouldn’t you prefer that the whole amount went to the charity directly? There are a few exemptions, such as need of college credit (some of these volunteering companies offer that when you join their programs) or just the lack of time or even information about local organizations in need of help.

One popular fantasy is that through volunteering, you’d be able to get free room and board and finance your travels that way. These kinds of volunteer opportunities would definitely be hard to find. As a matter of fact I do not know any organization offering that! Shelters struggle with the little resources they have to accommodate as many people as they can, so they don’t quite count on extra room or food! The only work-for-a-room/food situation I could think of is working in a hostel or a beach pub, but we’ll get into that in future articles.

Going back to volunteering, your skills are also another concern but time is pretty much all you need! Of course that if you have any teaching, cooking, gardening, fixing, building, administrative, tutoring, creative, etc skills they will be much appreciated, though! But honestly, sometimes even spending an afternoon playing games or talking about how’s your life back home with a group of 12 years old can make the difference!

Whatever it is that you end up helping with (donations, of course will always be welcomed!) I strongly believe that volunteering could be a great way of connecting with the local community, learning, adding some work/volunteer experience to your CV back home and even practicing your Spanish!

Here’s a list of my favorite no-fee volunteer opportunities:

http://www.rutassolidarias.org.ar/esp/index.php

http://www.lifeargentina.org/

http://www.buenosaires.gov.ar/areas/des_social/voluntariado/programa/areas/?menu_id=6248

http://www.guiasolidaria.pccp.net.ar/

http://www.volunteersouthamerica.net/

Please, feel free to post any questions here, I’ll help with whatever I can!

FOOD

FOOD

While obviously, I hope, the ultimate parrillada (mixed grill) would be a great asado (barbecue) in the backyard off of your own parrilla (grill), with friends, beer, wine, etc.; a couple of us were sitting around and talking about eating out at parrillas. We realized that to have a truly fantastic parrilla meal, we’d need to restaurant hop from one place to the next to have different parts of the cow (&/or other animals). This is the list we came up with, along with some recommendations from other folks in the city that I haven’t checked out yet - and I’ll make changes if/as I find better choices! Most of the restaurants are listed in my restaurant reviews for further reading. Maybe one day we can get a group together and work our way through some portion of this list!

Sausages (+):

Chorizos (pork) - Miranda in Palermo Viejo
Chorizos (chicken) - La Porteña in Martinez
Morcillas (black/blood sausages) - La Cholita in Barrio Norte
Provoleta (grilled provolone) - La Cholita in Barrio Norte
Provoleta de cabra (grilled goat cheese) - La Brigada in San Telmo
Provoleta rellena - Le Celeste in Palermo Viejo

Innards:

Chinchulines (intestines) - Pichi Huasi in Barrio Norte
Chotos (another version of intestines) - Le Celeste in Palermo Viejo
Higado (liver) - Las Cholas in Las Cañitas
Mollejas (sweetbreads) - El Yugo in Recoleta
Riñones (kidneys) - La Brigada in San Telmo

Cuts of Beef:

Bife de Chorizo (porterhouse) - Des Nivel in San Telmo
Bife de Lomo (sirloin) - Rodi-Bar in Recoleta
Entraña (hangar steak) - El Trapiche in Palermo Viejo
Filet (filet mignon) - La Olla de Felix in Barrio Norte
Ojo de Bife (boneless ribeye) - Bar Urondo in Caballito
Tira de Asado (crosscut ribs) - Parrilla Peña in Centro

Other animals/specialties:

Bondiola (pork tenderloin) - Doña Emilia in Zona Norte
Chivito (goat) - El Establo in Microcentro
Matambre (stuffed, rolled veal flank) - Munich in Recoleta
Pamplonas (rolled grilled meat, cheese and filling) - Le Celeste in Palermo Viejo
Papas Fritas (french fries) - Rodi-Bar in Recoleta (especially the provencal ones)
Papas Paille (thin french fires) - El Yugo in Recoleta
Pollo (chicken) - La Cholita in Barrio Norte

Copyright Dan Perlman. Dan Perlman is a former New York based chef, sommelier, food and wine writer who now lives in Buenos Aires. For more of his scribblings on food, wine, and restaurants visit his blog at www.saltshaker.net

INTRO

Hola! My name is Paula and a few months ago I started my own little business project called Espanol Andando.

After traveling and being a backpacker myself, teaching Spanish in different cities around the world and finding out about the overpriced language schools in BA, I decided to come up with a different concept.

And so I took my students out on the streets, took away those boring role-play exercises we have all done when learning a language and made them take their Spanish learning process into a new level: EXPERIENCE!

Anyways, it's been 5 months of great fun moments and shearing experiences, so I thought I would open one of this things (blogs, he) to spread the word about all of those tips and secrets to make your time more fun and most importantly EVEN MORE budget !

So feel free to ask any questions, I will copy in this blog articles I write for other websites or info about events, etc.

Have fun and enjoy BA!!!!